R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Chandigarh
Bittu thanks PM:The Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib, Ravneet Singh Bittu on Friday thanked the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for clearing the Rs 500 crore Tata Memorial Centre for Cancer and Research, second of its kind in the country, at Mullanpur Garibdass (Mohali). Bittu said he had met the Prime Minister several times over the last two and a half years to get this project, which was approved by the Union Cabinet at its recent meeting, sanctioned for the state.

Fatehgarh Sahib
Nod for research depts:The Academic Council and Syndicate of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University gave its approval for the establishment of three research departments for the compilation of encyclopedia of Sikh music. Vice Chancellor Dr Gurmohan Singh Walia said the proposed encyclopedia would be published in five volumes with 3,000 entries about Gurmat Sangeet and Sikh tradition of "Dhadi and Kawishri". The project is expected to be completed in 11 years, he added.

Sangrur
Principal donates Rs 18 lakh:Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Lehal, Harkesh Kaur Bains has donated fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) and Indira Vikas Patras worth Rs 18,55,000 to the Sangrur branch of All India Pingalwara Charitable Society, Amritsar. The FDRs and Indira Vikas Patra were handed over to the chief administrator of the society Tarlochan Singh Cheema on the occasion of first death anniversary of Harkesh’s husband Nirmal Singh Bains recently.

Tarn Taran
Undertrial escapes:Balwinder Singh Bittu, an undertrial lodged in the Amritsar Central Jail, escaped from police custody from Jandiala bypass on Friday evening. The police has registered a case under Section 223, 224 of the IPC against Balwinder and the three policemen escorting him. The policemen booked are Bakshish Singh, Karam Singh and Angrej Singh. They were bringing the accused back after producing him in a Fazilka court.

CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh
Constable booked: A constable of the Chandigarh police has been booked for eve teasing a girl. The constable, identified as Shamsher Singh, a resident of Kaimbwala village, is posted with a PCR. A case has been registered at the Sector 3 police station and an investigation has been initiated.

DEHRADUN

Almora
Ramlila in Kumaoni:Ramlila in Kumaoni language was revived at Almora town after a gap of more than 150 years . It was in the year 1860 that the first Ramlila in Kumaoni dialect was held. Shiv Charan Pandey, Hukka Club, Almora, said that after a gap of more than 150 years, the Kumaoni dialect Ramlila was being played.

Bageshwar
Child killed by leopard:A seven-year-old child was lifted by a man-eating leopard in Jhuna village in Bageshwar district last evening. The child who had gone out of his home was picked up by the leopard near his home. His half-eaten body was found 100 metres away from his house. The villagers protested at the district hospital to demand that the leopard be declared as man eater. Satendra Singh, SDO, Forest, has informed that the leopard which had killed three children so far has been declared a man eater, and famous hunter Lakhpat Singh has been engaged to kill the animal.

Champwat 
10 hurt in mishap:A jeep on its way from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh fell into a gorge at Bapru bend in Champwat district injuring 10 persons. Pradeep Singh Bisht, medical officer, Champawat, informed that one of the passengers was in serious condition and  has been referred to Haldwani base hospital, while others have been admitted in a Champawat government hospital.

Haldwani
Dengue death:Shabnam (32), a villager, died in a private hospital at Haldwani due to dengue. Doctors attending on her said that her palette blood count had gone down below 19,000 causing her death. B.C. Joshi, District Malaria Officer, Nainital, said that he would look into the suspected dengue patients admitted in various private hospitals of Haldwani.

Nainital
Additional charge for SDMs:SDMs in eight blocks of Nainital district have been given the charge of the block development committee following the expiry of the term of the elected representatives' today. The SDMs would take charge of the BDCs on Sunday while District Magistrate will take charge of the Zila Panchayat on October 14.

Ramnagar
Protest by voters:Voters of Pucchdi village near Ramnagar staged a protest at the Ramnagar tehsil headquaters against deletion of their names in the voters' list. They alleged that names of more than 1000 voters had been deleted ''due to some conspiracy.'' They said that they are residents of the state and had been voting in the last elections.

(Compiled by BD Kasniyal)